Her Rainbow
by Lady Oni
Summary: Disclamer: I do not own DBZ. The rights belong to Akira Toriyama, Toei , FUNi, etc. No attempt to infrenge on any rights or make any profit is intended. Ever wonder how Krillan and Andriod 18 got together? Here's one story.


Her Rainbow  
Android 18 walked down a crowded street. The celebrations of the Cell games were everywhere. There were signs like," We knew Hercule could do it!" It made her sick to think these people actually thought that a human could defeat Cell.  
'Not that I ever want to see those Z fighters again. Except maybe Krillan," she was shocked at what she had just thought. At what she had felt for Krillan, 'I'm just trying to ease the pain of losing 17 by reaching out to someone,' she told herself. She pushed all thoughts of him from her mind.   
' What am I going to do now?' she asked herself, ' the only place I have to stay is at the old lab, but there are so many memories there. I'm going to have to deal with it ,' she thought as she took off towards the cave.   
There wasn't much left of the lab, but she could stay there a little bit. It was a dark depressing place, even though the sun was shining bright outside. It seemed like at the entrance of the cave all light and warmth just disappeared.  
18 walked through the rubble, every now and then kicking something out of her way. She found a high ledge on one of the walls, She floated up and laid down.  
18 shivered as she thought of her life before the number. Her and 17, no not 17, there was no number then.' What had my name been? Iruka, that was it,' Her, Nikumu, and their mother lived in a dingy apartment. Their mom could barley support them. Then one day she just didn't come home, that was when they were eight. At the end of the month after their mom had diapered the landlord had come for the rent and when he found they could not pay it he through them out. After that they had lived where they could find shelter, and ate by stealing money or anything else they could. Then Dr. Gero came to them. He promised relief from all the pain. He said they could get revenge on all those who hurt them. They didn't like or trust him from the beginning, but his proposal was too good to turn down. He had made them what they were. Now look at her she was worse off than ever, true now she did not have to worry about being attacked or hurt by the thugs the hunted the dark streets, but now she didn't have Nikumu, now she was just Iruka. ' No, Iruka doesn't exist anymore,' she told herself, ' the scared weak thief no longer exists, she has been killed by everybody that has hurt her. Now there is just 18. Just like there was no Nikumu, just the strong, confident 17.'  
" 18!"   
The sound woke 18 from her memories. She peaked over the ledge she'd. Krillan walked through the remains of the lab.  
" 18, are you here?" he called out.  
' Why's he here? She sat up on the edge and answered, " What are you doing here?" she asked a little harsher than she had meant.  
Krillan turned around blushing, " I um...well you see I thought that maybe you might... um need a place to stay. Not that you can't take care of yourself."  
18's eyes widened, ' Why should he care if I have a place to stay?' Then she looked around the cave,' It would be better than this,' she thought. " Are you sure you want me around?" she asked.  
" Of course, I mean...yes, I couldn't just leave you out here," he said still blushing.   
" I've got no where better," she said as she jumped down from the ledge.  
" Really! I mean that's great. Follow me," he said glowing. He turned and flew out of the cave. He threw a look over his shoulder to see if 18 was following, she was. ' By Kami, she's beautiful,' he thought.   
A little later they touched down at the house that Krillan and Marrion had shared. It was pretty big, and was surrounded by acres of forest. He walked in and turned on the lights, " Are you tired?" he asked.  
18 looked out the window it was already getting late, ' I really lost track of time,' she thought, " Yes a little."  
Krillan walked up stairs signaling for 18 to follow when he got to the top he headed down the hallway and stopped at one of the doors opening it. " You can sleep in here," he said as he walked in. " I'll be right back," he said as he went down stairs and came back up with a huge T-shirt, " You can sleep in this," he offered. ' Good thing Marrion left this when she moved out,' he thought.  
" Thank you," said 18 as she took the shirt to the bathroom down the hall to take a shower. Krillan watched her till she closed the door then went to another room changed and got in his bed. He was exhausted and quickly fell asleep.  
******  
Later that night Krillan woke up. He lazily reached for the clock it was 1:00. He yawned then walked over to the window, opened it and looked out. When he looked down the side of the house he noticed 18's window was open. ' She didn't leave, did she?' He levitated to the roof hoping to find her there. And there she was with her back to him. He made his way silently to her side, " What are you thinking about?" he asked causing 18 to jump.  
" I don't know," she said truthfully, " What I'm going to do now, I guess."  
" There's something I've been meaning to ask you," Krillan paused making sure it was all right to ask.  
" Yes," asked 18.  
" I was wondering if you have feelings like hunger, cold, or confusion?"  
" Yes, I did use to be human, both me and 17." ' Why did I tell him that?'  
" Wow, really, you were?"18 nodded. " How did you end up as an android then?"  
" We were just two teenage twins that were hardly surviving by stealing. Dr. Gero offered us the chance not to have to do that. And we took it. For years he would add one improvement at a time until we were finally done."  
" I guess I understand why you did it." Krillan looked up into the stars then looked at 18 and saw the stars reflecting in her eyes. " What about your parents?"  
" We never knew our father, and our mother left us when we were eight."  
" Didn't you have any friends?"  
" No, it was just me and 17. Nobody cared, but now I don't even have him"  
This was depressing Krillan, " I wouldn't know how that feels, I've always had great friends," said Krillan looking at 18, " I'm sorry."   
18 just stared at him with wide eyes, ' He's serious,' " Why should you even care?"  
" It's something I picked up from Goku, it never mattered who you were if you needed help, he'd help. He also believed that everybody deserves a second chance."  
" I'm sorry about your friend," she said as she picked up the sad note in his voice, " What about the boy from the future? Has he gone back yet?"  
" No Trunks is leaving in the morning. After our party to remember Goku, would you like to come," Krillan asked as he lightened up a little.  
" No, I don't think I'd be welcome, and I'd feel a little out of place. After all not only did I try to kill you all, but Trunks is leaving to kill me in the future."  
" Yeah I guess I kind of get your point," said Krillan, " I tell you what afterwards we can go shopping and get some other clothes, okay?"  
18 couldn't help but laugh, then she saw the down cast look on Krillan's face, " It's not you," she said with a smile, " I was just thinking about how 17 called shopping ' boring' and ' a waist of time'. She looked over to see Krillan relieved that she wasn't laughing at him. ' He's not the best looking person in the world, but he's really sweet, and he's kind of cute in his own way,' she thought, " I better get back to sleep," she said smiling. She stood up and turned around.  
" 18?" asked Krillan uncertainly.  
18 looked over her shoulder, " Yes?"  
" Why did you kiss me after the first fight?"  
18 turned back around, " Because I thought you were cute," she answered truthfully. Then she saw the shocked look on Krillan's face and smiled, then bent down and gave him another kiss on his cheek. She stood up, " and that was for being so sweet," she said as she went back to her window.  
For a while Krillan just sat there in shock, ' Did she really call me cute and sweet?' he asked himself a thousand times. Finally he made his way back to his room.  
******   
The next day 18 woke up late, Krillan had already left for the party. She threw on some clothes and went downstairs to find something to eat. After she fixed herself something to eat she went to living room to watch TV. As she walked into the room she saw a picture of Krillan and Marrion together. 18 felt her heart sink, ' So he's got a girlfriend,' she thought, ' So why do I care?' Suddenly 18 didn't feel like watching TV anymore.  
She walked out the front door and took off into the air. As she flew over the city she found herself humming one of her favorite songs, When the Rainbow Comes. She had heard it a few times before the number. As she reached her favorite part she started to sing.  
" Up by the window  
Searching the sky  
Looking for the rainbow  
Don't ask why  
I want to see the rainbow come  
Hey   
We'll be leaving on all sides  
Oh  
When the rainbow comes  
Na la la la la la la la la  
La la la la la la la la la  
When the rainbow comes  
Mister post man look and see if  
If there's a message in your bag for me  
Could be a bum or it could be a letter  
It don't matter it can only get better  
Mister post man look and see   
If there's a message in your bag for me  
Know it's been such a long long time   
Since I could laugh at this world of mine"  
18 continued to hum the rest of the song. It always cheered her up, " Well, if Krillan's got a girlfriend then . . .," 18 knew what she was going to say, but then she came to a different resolution, " then she doesn't know who she's dealing with." 18 smirked as she headed back to Krillan's house. 'What am I doing, I'm being weak that's what,' she yelled in her head.  
18 touched down to find Krillan just getting home, " Hey 18 I was just looking for you," he said with a smile. They spent allot of the day getting 18 new clothes. 18 completely forgot about the picture.   
Early the next day 18 woke up to hear voices. She opened her eyes to find Krillan talking to Goku's son, ' What was his name? Gohan, that was it.' She threw on some clothes and went down stairs to see what they were talking about.   
Gohan froze, when he saw 18 walk out of Krillan's house, Then he fell flat on his face. Krillan, who had his back to 18, was surpassed then turned around to see her. " Hey 18, your finally up," he said smiling. Gohan stood up with a giant sweat drop on his head. Krillan turned back to Gohan, " Oh, I didn't tell 18 was staying with me for a while."  
" No, I don't think you mentioned that," said rubbing the back of his head like his father. " So. . . how long will you be staying with Krillan?" asked Gohan. 18 shrugged.  
" As long as she needs to," said Krillan smiling.   
" Well, make sure Yamcha doesn't come around," said Gohan.  
18 laughed as she remembered the way that stupid brunette had reacted to her when she woke up after the cell games. For the first time she tore down the wall that she'd put between herself and the Z fighters, and began to trust Gohan. But as soon as she relized she was laughing along with them, she shut up and built the wall back up.  
" Like I was saying," said Gohan regaining his composure, " You want to go get some training in?"  
" No way buddy," said Krillan, " You're the strongest fighter around by a long shot. There aren't many of the Z fighters left who are weak enough so I'll be a challenge to them."  
" What about Tien, and Yamcha?" asked 18.  
" Yeah, but Yamcha's not going to be a fighter anymore," said Gohan.  
" With his ' If anyone else tries to take over the world Gohan can handle it,' speech," Krillan finished sarcastically. 18 smiled, while Krillan and Gohan laughed. " He's got a point, with you and Vegeta, there's no need for human fighters. Not to mention when Trunks gets older you'll have another Saiyan," Krillan frowned.  
" Krillan you're my friend, and that's final," Gohan paused, " Oh yeah! Speaking of another Saiyan guess what! Mom's pregnant! I'm going to be a big brother!"  
Krillan almost fell over, " No way, you're kidding right?" Gohan shook his head smiling. " Wow, so Goku'll have two kids. . . Wait a minute Goku doesn't know"  
" I didn't think about that," said Gohan suddenly very sad.   
18 felt a twinge of sympathy for him, " Didn't your father communicate with you after he died?" she asked. Gohan nodded, " Then I'm sure he'll find out some how," she said trying to sound as if she didn't care.   
Krillan just stared at her for a second while Gohan lightened up, " Thanks 18," he said with a half smile. " Well, I've got to go tell the others, Bye"  
" Bye Gohan," said Krillan waving. Then he turned around to 18, " That was really nice of you."  
18 turned around, " Well I didn't want him to cry."  
Krillan rolled his eyes, " That was still really nice," he said over his shoulder as he turned around. Then he walked away.  
18 smiled to herself, then followed Krillan back into the house.  
******  
That night 18 laid on her bed singing 'When the Rainbow Comes". As Krillan walked by he heard her singing through her door. He leaned against the wall and listened to her for a while. Then he got an idea smiled to himself and walked to his room.  
******  
Around noon the next day 18 was laying on the roof of the house when Krillan came out. He looked up at 18 and seem to be considering something before he yelled up to her, " Hey 18 I'm going into town for a while!"  
" What for?" she asked in her usual indifferent voice.  
" I. . . um. . .have to meet some one!" he yelled back up.  
18 suddenly felt angry, ' He's probably meeting that girl!' she thought, then a detached as possible she yelled, " Whatever, like I care," back down to him. Krillan fumed for a second, but decided to leave it. He got into his car and drove off.   
After that 18 avoided Krillan, she saw him only when absolute necessary. She said nothing to him except the occasional, " Hum" and " mum" to his questions. He was a reminder of her weakness falling for someone who could care less. Why didn't she just kill him? She'd killed so many before? What's one more? 18 felt lonelier then ever.   
Avoiding Krillan wasn't hard he went to town to, " Meet a friend" all the time. He was rarely ever home any more.   
Finally Krillan got tired of 18 avoiding him. 18 was lying on the couch flipping through channels, " Why, have you been avoiding me?" he asked.  
18 completely ignored him. He picked up another remote and turned the TV off. " I asked you a question," he said trying to hide his annoyance at being ignored.  
She looked at him her face showed no emotion, " As if you've been here long enough for me to say much of anything to you."  
" What do you mean?" he asked.  
" Why don't you go back to that bimbo of a girlfriend," said 18 signaling to the picture of Krillan and Marrion on the table.  
" Do I sense jealously?" asked Krillan.  
18 was on her feet now, " I Thought I cared for you, but I was just being weak," she said coldly, as she crossed her arms and faced away from him.  
" I might as well add you to the long list of women that have caused me pain. . . "   
Her head snapped around, to face him, throwing her hair. Her eyes pierced through him, " Don't you talk to me about pain," her voice was low and dangerous, challenging, " You don't know the first thing about pain, you couldn't imagine true pain," she whispered.  
" You'd be surprised," his voice matched hers now, " About her," he pointed to the picture on the table, " she dumped me a while back anyway," His voice was gaining power as he continued, " Why have I been in town?" he was screaming now, " Because I've been combing the entire city to find this for you!" he yelled as he threw a CD at her.  
She was frozen, she forgot all her anger. She just sat there and stared wide eyed. She caught the flying CD more out of habit than anything else.  
" Yeah you know pain, the pain of loss, but do you know the pain of loving someone who could care less, who would trade you for the dirt off a shoe and think they got a good deal?!" he took a breath, then in a lower tone, " someone you couldn't dream of living without, but who shows no emotion what-so-ever? Someone you weren't even sure could feel any emotion? Do you?" he stared at her, 18 couldn't reply. "No, you don't," his eyes cut into her, " You could kill millions of children and innocent people, and not feel one shred of guilt," he paused and let the statement cut into 18, " so why would you care about me?" Krillan turned around to leave, " Are you sure you even feel pain? Or is it just something you were programmed to think?" Krillan left.  
18 just stood there in shock. The last statement had cut deeper than anything she could imagine. She looked down at the CD she flipped it over in her hands. On the back one of the songs were circled, it read, " When the Rainbow Comes" 18 couldn't believe it, but right then she didn't care. She carefully set the CD down and flew out the window.  
She landed at the old lab, immediately she ran to one of the walls and began to dig through the rubble, ' Where is it,' was all that ran through her mind. Finally she found what she was looking for. She brushed all the rubble off and opened it. It was the capsule that Dr. Gero had put her and 17 into hibernation in. she found the controls on the side and began to press a few buttons, suddenly it began to spark. She covered her eyes for a second. ' Why? All I wanted to do is go back to sleep. To a dream, Where 17 is still around and Krillan doesn't hate me. Where I haven't lost the only people that I cared for or that cared for me in return.' silent tears filled 18's eyes. ' I didn't think I could cry any more, I thought I was too much a machine.' She wiped the tears away. ' That computer whiz could help me,' she thought, ' she could put this back together, but why would she want to do anything for me? Self Destruction? Impossible, the explosives were removed.' 18 forced the capsule closed, and collapsed in defeat on it, ' So I can't escape this nightmare,' she thought as she fell into a depressed sleep.  
******  
It was a dark, cool, and rainy night. Krillan had calmed down after it had started to rain. He went back to the house to apologize, but all he had found was the CD lain neatly on the coffee table. Krillan began to fill with dread, ' Where is she?' kept replaying in his mind. Then it dawned on him, he took of into the rainy night sky.  
Krillan arrived at the lab, it looked even more depressing in the rain and dark. Then he spotted 18 strewn over the capsule. He walked over to her and was shocked to see silent tears going down her cheeks.  
Krillan cradled her face with one hand as he wiped her tears away with the other. 18 opened her eyes and looked into his, for a moment she looked like a lost child, tired, scared, and lonely. Neither said a word, they didn't need to. Krillan brought his face to her level and they met in a kiss. When they released 18 looked at Krillan, she could finally put her past where it belonged, and look forward to a bright future, now that she'd found her rainbow. Krillan walked around the capsule to 18's side and sat against it. 18 snuggled next to him, ' Goodbye 17,' she thought silently as they watched the rain fall together. 


End file.
